Author : Dr. Zhu Chuan Gui & Mr. Seah Evan
Last Updated : 23 June 2003

What is Augmented Reality?

Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology whereby a user's view of the real world is enhanced, with the inclusion or the superimposition of computer-generated information to it, which exist in the form of labels, texts, outline, 3D models, and shading modifications. AR has applications in areas such as Computer Aided Surgery, where the surgeon may have images of an internal organ overlaid on his view of the patient to help identify tissues without opening up the patient’s body. In the airplane industry, AR is used to aid airplane-factory workers in assembly operations. In the manufacturing industries, AR systems may be used to aid the user in complex maintenance tasks, like displaying information of steps required to open a printer and replace various parts, onto the technician’s view. Other applications vary from the entertainment industries to military operations, to consumer design, to Robotics, to Telerobotics, and to many uses where extra information to the real world is beneficial to the operating process.

 

Augmented Reality for Therapy (ART)

In traditional open surgery, surgeons often have to cut through many layers of healthy tissue to reach the target of interest, thereby inflicting significant damage to the tissue. This is very traumatic to the patient. Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) has dramatically reduced the trauma to the patient, by providing the surgeon with a less invasive means of reaching the patient's internal anatomy. However, the MIS techniques come at a cost to the surgeon. The view of the patient is not natural (3D sensation is lost), and the ability to manipulate surgical instruments is severely constrained in comparison with traditional open surgery. Furthermore, force and tactile feedback is impaired. These limitations make MIS techniques very difficult to learn.

The objective of ART is to develop an augmented reality system that can be used to assist a surgeon to see a patient's affected internal anatomy non-invasively. A virtual image of the organ, arranged to display to the surgeon in a stereoscopic manner, would coincide with the real organ in the patient. Mechantronics tools are provided for him/her to perform the operation while guided by the virtual image of the target organ.

The ART pipelines

Publications related to ART.

We would be glad if you could sign our guest book.

For more information, please contact the principal investigator:

A/P Ng Wan Sing
School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798
Fax:(65) 6791 1859